FDA News Digest October 7, 2002 ________________________________________________________________ Agency Proposes Action Plan for Studying Acrylamide in Foods Earlier this year, Swedish researchers reported finding the chemical acrylamide in a variety of fried and baked foods. Acrylamide is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals, but research to date has been inconclusive about the chemical's cancer-causing potential in humans. More research is needed, and FDA has put forth an action plan to learn more about the chemical. Draft of action plan: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/acryplan.html Statement by FDA Deputy Commissioner Dr. Lester M. Crawford: http://www.fda.gov/oc/speeches/2002/acrylamide930.html ________________________________________________________________ FDA Updates Advisory about Risks of Undercooked Sprouts Prompted by several outbreaks in the last two years of serious foodborne illness linked to eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts, FDA is advising that children, the elderly, and those with reduced immune function should avoid sprouts entirely. Others are urged to take certain steps to reduce their risk of illness if they eat alfalfa, mung bean or other kinds of sprouts. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01164.html ________________________________________________________________ FDA Notifies Foreign Website Operator of Potential Violations FDA has sent an e-mail notifying the operator of a foreign website that continued sale to U.S. citizens of the herbal product "Yellow Jackets" (or others used as substitutes for illicit street drugs) may be illegal. FDA also is advising consumers not to buy or use these products. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00843.html ________________________________________________________________ Counterterrorism Studies Among FDA Women's Health Contracts FDA's Office of Women's Health has announced contracts for five research studies, including four that focus on health problems related to bioterrorism. The counterterrorism studies will examine how drugs used to counteract the effects of biological and chemical warfare may affect elderly women, as well as pregnant or nursing women and their babies. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00842.html ________________________________________________________________ FDA Official Testifies on Agency Response to West Nile Virus in Blood Jesse Goodman, M.D., deputy director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, recently testified before a Senate subcommittee on how the agency is responding to the emerging threat of transmission of the West Nile virus through blood and tissue. One of FDA's primary responsibilities is to help ensure that the nation's blood supply is safe. http://www.fda.gov/ola/2002/westnile924.html ________________________________________________________________ Two Companies Recall Food Products Due to Unlabeled Ingredients The J.R. Simplot Co. is recalling 32-oz. packages of Schwan's Stirfry Vegetables because they may contain undeclared nonfat milk. Spruce Foods is recalling nine varieties of Whole Foods brand chocolate bars because they may contain unlisted traces of milk or nuts. The companies are taking action because the undeclared ingredients could cause serious or life-threatening reactions in people allergic or sensitive to them. All the products were distributed nationwide. Schwan's: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/jrsimplot09_02.html Whole Foods: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/sprucefoods10_02.html ________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the FDA News Digest. Our next posting will be October 15. To leave this list at any time, send an e-mail to LISTSERV@LIST.NIH.GOV In the body of the message, write SIGNOFF FDA-NEWSDIGEST-L
